Wellness retreats might be ‘manipulating people’: Expert
Zülal Atagün - ISTANBUL
Amid the rising hype and demand for "wellness retreats" and "personal development reclusion camps," a renowned psychiatrist has warned that some of these programs are made with the sole intention of misleading people for financial gains and offer no scientifically valid information.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic has left millions feeling exhausted from the quarantine stress and lengthy hours of remote work, the demand for wellness activities has boomed significantly during the past few years.
Through a focus on physical and emotional well-being, some of these retreats claim to minimize stress through programs tailored to people's needs, immersing them in a personalized experience that includes spa services, meditation and fitness.
On the other hand, some organizations offer exorbitant prices to the customers they attract on social media for "spiritual events" that offer practices without any scientific basis.
For example, a one-day "spiritual event" can cost up to a whopping 1,750 Turkish Liras, while the content of this event consists of meditation in a natural environment for a few hours and the preparation of an "intention bundle" and burying it in the ground with the purpose of "sending one's wishes to the universe."
Another camp, in tourism hotspot Fethiye, offers various options such as personal or couples retreats, spiritual programs, mindfulness activities and "digital detox" retreats.
In addition, the camp also offers facilities such as a volleyball court, football field, massage area, hiking trails and organic fruit and vegetable gardens.
The price of these retreats varies according to the length of the stay and the type of program, sometimes reaching up to 11,000 liras for a four-night stay, with some retreats even handing out "certifications" to their participants at the end.
Speaking to daily Hürriyet, psychiatrist Professor Dr. Arif Verimli stated that many people are manipulated in these camps with methods that have no scientific basis.
According to Verimli, these camps and retreats are solely offering group activities under the name of "therapy."
“None of their practices are based on science. Each one is inspired by a different religious or spiritual belief.”
Noting that even though wellness retreats also exist in Western countries, Verimli said there is no proper supervision for these retreats in Türkiye and that thousands of people are becoming more susceptible to being scammed by these organizations with each passing day.
“They charge unbelievable prices and a lot of people are quickly persuaded to join these camps. It is not easy to prevent this. However, if we start to base our reasoning on science in the long run, maybe we can take more solid steps.”
